Juiceman Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Anyone have any good tricks to getting ur anemones not to move far from where you'd like them to be? I got one that moved behind some rocks so I can't even see it anymore from the front. I'm going to pull it back out visible but I'd like to be able to make sure he doesn't move away from sight again. Any Ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Eckreef Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 If the anemona is hiding it may be for a good reason. It may be about to split or just need a break. i would leave it be. Mine will retreat to the back of the rock for a few days a month and then return to the front when ready. They will migrate towards the light so if it is staying put in the back then try to shade that area and it should move towards the higher light front area. Once it is in a place that you want it to stay then try to keep light and water currents consistent and feed it a silverside at least weekly..maybe even 2-3 times in a week at first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cMidd Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Theres no trick, anemones are an animal that is going to go wherever that is comfortable. If you move it a lot, it will stress out or just move more. They tend to go where they are most comfortable. Try adjusting your flow, that may help him reposition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 He was out during the day, he went behind the rocks during the night. Should I expext him to do that then? Maybe ill see where he is when I get home today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 And more flow or less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonSequitur Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Many anemones are very protective about their "foot", so it isn't uncommon for them to move around the backside of the rocks for protection, and then extend out into the light. I panicked when my first GBTA promptly moved to the dark side of my rockscape, but within a week or so it was stretching up between the rocks to get to the light, retracting back at night, when doing a "personal waterchange", etc. As above, it's moving because it finds something about it's current position stressful, so if you keep moving it to put it where you want it, it won't settle down, and could decide to completely let go of the rock and get blown around the tank by water flow. You don't want this, as it could kill your corals and/or end up getting sucked through a powerhead (been there, done that. It's a mess). I wouldn't worry to much about it at this point.. anemones are pretty obvious about their health. If they're getting plenty of what they need, they grow, ultimately split. If not, they shrink and eventually disappear. Besides, it's mobile, so if it finds that the environment behind your rocks is lacking, it will move along until it finds somewhere else it likes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonSequitur Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 That's normal. Their prey animals tend to be more active during the day, and they get a lot of their energy from light, so they're a lot more likely to be open (and vulnerable) during the day, and retracted (for protection from predators, mechanical damage) at night. He was out during the day, he went behind the rocks during the night. Should I expext him to do that then? Maybe ill see where he is when I get home today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diabeetus Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 what kind of anemone is it? your best best would be to put it in a place oflow flow. bubble tips like their foot in a shaded area with the tenticles in the light, so if you have a shelf type thing in your tank, make sure the foot is in a shaded area (or even in a piece of PVC). i can usually place them in an area like that with them never roaming around after that. I set one in my dad's about a year ago and it hasnt moved an inch (green bubble tip anemone) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 zip ties or some cement screws should do the trick, jk what worked for me in the past was a med rock with a 3-4 inch hole he could hide his foot in and expand and retract inside. maybe if you set up something similiar he would stay put. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 All of mine move daily, meaning that their foot stays in the shade but they each retract at night. Totally normal. If you find it cruising all over your tank then you need to worry, especially if you have powerheads that it can get into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 (edited) what kind of anemone is it? your best best would be to put it in a place oflow flow. bubble tips like their foot in a shaded area with the tenticles in the light, so if you have a shelf type thing in your tank, make sure the foot is in a shaded area (or even in a piece of PVC). i can usually place them in an area like that with them never roaming around after that. I set one in my dad's about a year ago and it hasnt moved an inch (green bubble tip anemone) My Long Tenticle Anemone is Much bigger so it's top covers it's bottom, it hasn't moved at all since it's been in the tank The one that moved is the Rose Bubble I have. Interesting Idea on the PVC. I may try that. a rock with a hole would be cooler though. IDK. Don't have any powerheads to worry about Edited March 10, 2011 by Juiceman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cMidd Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 My GBTA will retract to where I can't see him at night, but during the day he is huge. His foot is on the underside of a ledge, so he feels safe. I recommend just not touching him, he will get comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I had a rose tip anemone which was free floating in the current. I ran a tootpik thru the middle of his foot and used rubber bands to holdfast with. After two days he moved through the stick and has settled in about a foot from where I had placed him. Patience is a virtue. Leave him along. It is less stressful, but then I am trying to keep my blood pressure low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Gooood Luck! Having several tanks with multiple sibling bubble tips there is no rhyme or reason to what they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 Its was still on the back of the rock, but I saw it closed up and my fire shrimp was right next to it. I'm not sure but maybe he's been messing with it?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I'd be more inclined to think the fire shrimp is just using it as shelter. Anemonies will inflate and deflate periodicly but they shouldn't stay deflated very long (~24-48 hrs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I had an issue with my cleaner and fire shrimp harrassing my anemone in the past. They would steal food and pick at it looking for food. Pay close attention and make sure yours isn't doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 I had an issue with my cleaner and fire shrimp harrassing my anemone in the past. They would steal food and pick at it looking for food. Pay close attention and make sure yours isn't doing this. It was open big this morning and had moved a little. still on the back of the rock, but closer towards the front. Here's Hoping! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cMidd Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I would just keep an eye out, he will get comfy, and no matter where e settles he wills ventaully catch eyes. Here's mine, for weeks I couldn't see him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 He came out, so I quickly built him a "fort" with two seed rocks I had, he stayed there all day! Then when I woke up, he'd moved back behind the rock again.. so that tells me something may be messing with it at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I'd just leave him alone. Anything that you do will most likely cause him to retreat. He came out, so I quickly built him a "fort" with two seed rocks I had, he stayed there all day! Then when I woke up, he'd moved back behind the rock again.. so that tells me something may be messing with it at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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